A Second Shot
by dreaming0
Summary: STOP! This story is based on merrow's fanfic Spotted! If you haven't read it, go read it now. This story posted with merrow's consent.


**A/N: **This fanfic is based on merrow's ( ) wonderful story _Spotted! _If you haven't read it, go do it now, or this story won't make much sense. And while you are there, read her other stories as well. They are all very well written, not to mention long! This story is posted with merrow's permission. _Spotted! _is still ongoing, so none of what happens here is real. (Well, obviously since it is fiction, it is not real, but you know what I mean) I don't want to mess up her plotline. This story takes place where _Spotted! _currently leaves off (chapter 15). This was my very first fanfic. I hope she likes it, and does not regret giving me permission to post it.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the Fruits Basket or Spotted! characters. Come to think of it, the only characters that I added on my own are extras in the background, a few police officers and nurses. I guess I just couldn't do any better than the already well developed characters that I borrowed. Thank you Takaya-Sensei and merrow!

oOoOo

**A Second Shot**

It seemed like days since he had seen her. Even when she was allowed to return to school, she had to be snuck in and out, and Sawatari was always pulling her out of school for some appearance or other. Kyo entered the building next to hers and went up to her apartment, but there was no answer at the door. She must still be out. 'They're keeping her out awfully late,' he thought as he headed back outside. They'll probably find some reason not to send her to school the next day as well. If he had any hope of seeing her, he was just going to have to wait for her to return. He wouldn't be waiting alone. A crowd of reporters and fans were camped outside her building. At least he could just blend in and watch for her arrival, then slip next door, and up to her apartment.

He didn't have long to wait. A large car pulled up in front of the building, and the crowd surged toward the curb. Bulbs flashed, and camera crews started filming. Kyo hung back and started to edge toward the building next door. He didn't want to be noticed. The last thing he wanted to do was lead the rabid fans straight to the secret passage.

The car doors opened, and the body guards exited first. They attempted to push the fans back to allow Tohru to pass unhindered, but it wasn't easy. They had gotten her almost half way to the building when the first shot rang out. Shido quickly pushed Tohru to the ground and covered her body with his own, as Harada pushed through the crowd searching for the source of the gunfire. By the time the second shot was heard, the fans and reporters had started screaming and ducking or running around in panic. In the confusion no one noticed the quiet poof or the lingering orange smoke.

Huddled underneath Shido, Tohru could hear a girl yelling frantically, "That will show him, that will show him how much I love him! I would do anything for him! He doesn't need a girl like her!"

Harada quickly spotted the raving girl as she waved the gun in the air. He threw himself at her, knocking her to the ground, and the gun out of her hand. "Secure!" he hollered back to Shido who promptly picked up Tohru to hustle her the rest of way into the building. Shido was still hunched over Tohru, making it difficult for her to walk. Closer to the building, she tripped and nearly fell, but Shido instantly steadied her. Looking down at her feet, Tohru saw a pile of clothing, which she hastily scooped up before she was hurried into the building.

Sawatori stayed outside with Harada to await the arrival of the police, while Hiromi and Shido escorted a shaken Tohru up to her apartment. As Tohru stood blank faced in the elevator, she glanced down at the clothing she held tightly to her chest. 'These are Kyo-kun's clothes,' she thought. She had washed them often enough, she recognized them instantly. They smelled of him and it comforted her. She hugged them closer, imagining she was hugging him.

When they arrived on the 5th floor, Hiromi ushered her into the apartment, an arm around Tohru's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Hiromi asked, her voice full of concern.

"I think so," replied Tohru, "I just need to be alone for a bit," she added as she headed for her bedroom.

Once inside, she closed the door and sat on her bed. She pressed the black t-shirt to her face to breathe in his scent when she noticed a strange dampness. Looking at her hand, she glimpsed a smear of red across her palm. Blood! Was it hers? Had she gotten hurt after all, and not realized. She looked back at the t-shirt to examine it more closely. There was a small hole in the left shoulder of the shirt, and a few darker patches that were wet to the touch. Pulling her finger away, she stared at the red circle on it's tip as the significance of her discoveries registered in her mind.

"Kyo-kun!" Tohru cried as reality struck her. Where was he? How badly was he hurt? She had to find him, had to talk to him to be sure. She fumbled for her cell phone, typed in "R U OK??" and hit send. To her dismay, she heard a buzzing sound coming from the cargo pants lying on her bed. She rifled through the pockets and pulled out Kyo's phone. Her face fell as she tried to think of what to do. Grabbing her cell phone again, she hit the button to dial Yuki.

"Honda-san! Are you okay? We were watching the news. They were broadcasting live from your building. There were gunshots. What happened? Are you hurt?" Tohru was unaccustomed to hearing panic in Yuki's normally steady voice.

"Oh, Yuki-kun….Kyo-kun…. Is he there?" Tohru managed to blurt out as tears filled her eyes.

"Kyo? What do you want that baka neko for? It's you I am worried about." Yuki could feel his jealousy rise. Why didn't she just call Kyo's phone if she wanted him?

"No, he was here. I found his clothes outside. He must have transformed. I don't know where he is."

"That idiot!" Yuki snarled, "He probably ran into one of those screaming fan girls, when he should have been looking out for you. He's useless!"

"Yuki-kun, there is a hole in his shirt, and blood!" Tohru sobbed, "I think he was shot!"

Yuki felt his anger drain away. "I'll get Shigure. We'll be right there," he said soberly.

oOoOo

Kyo hadn't gotten far when he heard the first gunshot. He turned and sprinted back across the lawn to the front walkway. He had reached the front door when he saw her fall to the ground under her body guard, and the crowd began to panic. 'No! Tohru!' He started toward her when he heard the second shot, and stopped in his tracks. It did not take long before the shock of the wound caused him to transform. His instinct told him to run, to hide. He crawled out of his shirt and tried to run away. 'Just like before,' he thought, 'Just like her mother. I couldn't protect her. I am running away again.' He didn't make it very far before the searing pain in his shoulder caused him to collapse under a bush outside the apartment building. As he lay there panting, the image of Tohru falling to the ground floated in his head. 'Just like my nightmare.' he grieved, 'She's hurt and it's my fault. My fault. I got too close. I deserve this. I should have stayed away from her.' Kyo continued to mentally berate himself until he slipped into unconsciousness.

oOoOo

After Yuki got off the phone with Tohru and told Shigure what had happened, Shigure called Hatori. Hatori picked them up and they headed for Tohru's apartment. Hatori's car pulled up in front of the building next door. They couldn't have gotten closer even if they wanted too. The place was swarming with police cars, their lights flashing. In the back of one sat a girl in obvious distress. She was yelling something, but they couldn't make out what she was saying. Some policemen stood around interviewing the witnesses, while others tried to keep the reporters at bay. There were sure to be more policemen inside as well. Shigure, Hatori, and Yuki surveyed the situation from a distance.

"This doesn't look good," Hatori said.

"He's nearby," noted Shigure, "I can smell him."

"Yuki, why don't you go in and check on Tohru?" suggested Hatori, "Shigure and I will look for Kyo." Yuki nodded and headed for the neighboring building, glad to be able to comfort Tohru instead of looking for Kyo. The concern he felt for the cat bothered him. Why should he care what happened to that baka neko? If he can't keep himself out of trouble, that was not Yuki's fault. But try as he might, he couldn't shake his troubled feeling.

Yuki slipped into the building and up to the passage on the roof. He hurried to Tohru's apartment and burst through the door only to find himself flanked by two policemen, each of them grabbing an arm.

"Who are you, and how did you get in here?" one of them said sternly, "They should have stopped you downstairs!"

Tohru glanced up from where she sat on the sofa, sandwiched between Hiromi and Sawatari.

"Yuki!" she cried as she leapt up to run toward him.

The policeman looked to Sawatari who sighed and nodded, "It's okay, let him pass." He wasn't happy about it, but a Sohma was probably what she needed right now. The policemen reluctantly let Yuki go.

Yuki grabbed Tohru's hands. He so much wanted to pull her to him and hold her close. He looked down into her reddened eyes, and saw tears begin to well up in them again.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically, though she clearly wasn't. "Did you find…" she paused and looked around. All eyes were trained on them. She whimpered and put her head down on their clasped hands.

"We need a moment alone," Yuki stated to the onlookers as he put his arm around her and ushered her into the bedroom before anyone had an opportunity to object. Once inside, Yuki closed the door as Tohru collapsed on the bed in tears. Kyo's clothes still lay crumpled on the bed, and she grasped his shirt and pulled it to her.

"They keep asking me questions I can't answer," she sobbed, "I didn't see anything. I don't know what happened. I only heard some loud noises, and then screaming, and I was on the ground. I didn't even know Kyo was there. I never saw him. I only found these." She indicated the clothing as she looked up pleadingly. "Where is he? What happened to him?"

Yuki sat on the bed next to her and placed a hand on her back. She put her head down on his lap and wept. "Everything will be okay," he comforted. "Hatori and Shigure are outside looking for him now. I'm sure he will be fine. That stupid cat has taken more abuse from me in the past and lived to tell about it." He wasn't sure how much this was helping, but he was doing his best.

Tohru began to calm down at the sound of Yuki's soothing voice. She wanted so much to believe that what he was saying was true. Her tears subsided. "They told me there was a girl with a gun. She is in police custody. They are pretty sure she was there alone," explained Tohru, revealing all she knew of the situation.

"Well, if the footage we saw on television was any indication, they caught most of it on tape," said Yuki.

"They did?" Tohru looked up in surprise. "Did it show Kyo-kun?"

"I didn't see him. The camera was aimed toward the street. Kyo must have been behind the camera crew."

"That makes sense," said Tohru looking down at the black shirt in her hand. "I found his clothes on the walk in front of the door."

There was a loud knock at the door which made them both jump.

"I think your moment is up." came a commanding voice from outside. "We have a few more questions for Miss Honda."

Tohru quickly tucked Kyo's clothes underneath her pillow. She didn't know if anyone had noticed that she had picked them up, and she didn't want to have to explain them to the police. Yuki took her by the hand and they walked back into the living room.

oOoOo

After Yuki had gone inside, Hatori and Shigure headed toward the commotion. The police were doing their best to keep the gawking onlookers back, and it was difficult to get close enough to see anything. The Juunishi generally tried to avoid crowds for obvious reasons, but the two men saw no other way to get closer than to push their way through. They carefully wound through the mass of people, until they reached the front of the crowd. An imposing police officer still blocked their path, but at least they could see around him enough to scan the area looking for any sign of Kyo. Shigure nudged Hatori and nodded toward a bush next to the front door. Squinting to peer under the bush, Hatori caught a glimpse of orange fur, illuminated by the light in the doorway. Before he could think of a way to quietly retrieve the cat, Shigure had ducked under the arm of the policeman.

"Tom! Tom, there you are!" Shigure announced loudly as he swiftly moved toward the bush. "I have been looking all over for you, you naughty cat!" He carefully scooped up the injured cat before the police officer could grab him back. Holding Kyo to his chest to hide the wound he said, "Look at the poor thing. Sleeping like a baby. He shouldn't have wandered so far from home!"

The policeman finally reached Shigure and took him by the shoulder. "Sir, I can't allow you to be here. This is a crime scene. I must ask you to move back."

"I'm so sorry officer," Shigure bowed, "I merely came to retrieve my cat. He got out of the house, and I have been looking for him everywhere. You naughty thing!" He shook a scolding finger at the motionless animal in his arms. "I'm sorry to have bothered you sir," Shigure continued to bow as he retreated toward Hatori.

Hatori tried to clear a path for Shigure as they worked their way back through the crowd, some of the bystanders trying to get a glimpse of the cat.

"Aww, isn't he cute! Sleeping like that," admired a girl.

"Hey, he looks just like the cat from the magazine, doesn't he?" pointed out another.

"Yea, the one Honda Tohru was holding in the pictures. You're right!"

Shigure picked up his pace and got back to the car before any more questions could be asked. He slipped into the front seat with Kyo on his lap as Hatori climbed into the driver's seat.

Hatori glanced down at the cat before pulling away from the curb. "Is he…?"

"He's still breathing, but he doesn't sound good, and there is an awful lot of blood," Shigure replied looking down at his stained yukata. "We can't take him to the hospital like this."

Hatori thought for a minute. "We'll take him back to my office. I'll try to get him stabilized so he will transform back. Then we can take him in. You might want to call Yuki, to let him know we found Kyo, and see how Tohru is doing."

Keeping one hand on the wounded cat's side to ensure that he was still breathing, Shigure took out his cell phone and punched Yuki's number.

oOoOo

Much to Sawatari's chagrin, Yuki had taken his place beside Tohru on the sofa as the questioning continued. He held her hand, which put her more at ease, even though she was still worried about Kyo.

"Miss Honda, can you think of anyone who has threatened you in the past?" asked the intimidating officer seated across from her, notebook in hand.

"No…I….well," Tohru thought of the Prince Yuki fan club, and the threats that they doled out on a regular basis. They wouldn't resort to something like this though, would they?

Yuki had had enough. They had been grilling the poor girl for the past half hour. She was in no condition to put up with this. "How many times do you need to ask the same questions over and over again? Can't you see she is distressed? She has already told you she knows nothing! Why don't you just leave her alone? She wouldn't even been in this mess if it weren't for these people!" he shouted glaring at Sawatari.

"Well," the officer conceded, "I guess we have enough for now. We may need to contact you tomorrow, Miss Honda, if we have any further questions." Tohru nodded at him as she squeezed Yuki's hand tighter to thank him.

As the police officers prepared to leave, Yuki's phone rang. Tohru looked up at him expectantly. "Shigure," he said looking at the small glowing screen. Tohru's eyes widened as Yuki stood up. He went to step out on the balcony, and tried to pull Tohru with him, but Harada stopped him.

"I'm sorry, we can't allow her outside right now. It might not be safe." he said, pulling her back. Yuki reluctantly let go of Tohru's hand, stepped outside and shut the door before answering the phone.

"Oh Yuki, you are there! You had me worried when you didn't answer right away. How's Tohru? Is she okay?"

"A bit shaken up, and the police aren't helping much. Did you find him?" Yuki asked as he watched Tohru's anxious face stare at him through the window.

"Yes, but he's not in good shape. It looks like he has been shot in the shoulder. He's lost a lot of blood."

Yuki nodded at Tohru as he heard this news, and her features relaxed as she let out the breath she had been holding. "What are you going to do with him?" asked Yuki.

"We're taking him back to Hatori's to see if we can stabilize him. He is still in cat form, which is probably a good thing. It would have been much more difficult getting him out of there if he wasn't. If we can get him to transform back, we will take him to the hospital. It won't be easy trying to explain the bullet wound, but we'll think of something. I think you should stay at Tohru's for the night. I don't think I will make it home tonight, and she could probably use some company other than those body guards. My poor little flower," Shigure lamented, "she must be so scared."

"I'll take good care of her." Yuki assured him, glad that Shigure had suggested what Yuki had already planned to do. "You take care of that stupid cat. Tohru would never forgive herself if something happened to him." Yuki hung up the phone and went back into the apartment.

"I intend to stay and watch over Honda-san this evening." Yuki announced as he slid the balcony door closed behind him.

"I don't know if that's…" began Sawatari.

"The subject is not open for debate," Yuki cut in. "I will be staying." Tohru looked up at him gratefully.

"Well then," Sawatari said, frowning at Yuki. He plastered his false smile on and turned to Tohru, "I guess that's settled. Don't worry my dear, we will cancel all of your engagements for tomorrow to give you a day to recover. I think it would be best if you stayed home from school as well. Also, we will of course increase security before any further appearances. I'm sure we are all thankful that no one was hurt this evening." Tohru flinched at his final comment, knowing that it was untrue.

Yuki wanted to throw Sawatari and his lame promises through the wall, but knew that would only upset Tohru even more. Instead he settled for scowling at him.

"So," Sawatari said breaking away from Yuki's unnerving stare and looking toward Hiromi. "Tohru has had a stressful evening, and we should let her rest." To Tohru he added, "We will stop by tomorrow to check up on you, but remember, you have the day off, so relax. I will leave you in Harada and Shido's capable hands. I'm sure you will be safe now. Try to get a good night's sleep." With one more glare at Yuki, he walked out of the apartment.

"Everything will be okay," Hiromi said, smiling gently at Tohru, "Don't you worry." She turned and followed Sawatari out of the apartment.

With her departure, Yuki and Tohru were left with the pair of body guards. Yuki sat next to Tohru on the sofa and stared across the room at Shido and Harada. The silence was deafening, and Shido looked around awkwardly.

"Well, I think Miz Honda is safe, so Harada and I will be retiring to our room now." He tugged on Harada's sleeve as he headed out of the living room.

"But I'm not…" Harada began, but was quickly interrupted by Shido.

"I am sure Sohma-san can take good care of her, right?" he said, addressing Yuki. "Just stay away from the windows and don't keep her up too late," he warned.

Yuki nodded his agreement as the imposing pair left the room.

"Finally!" gasped Tohru, turning to Yuki. "Please, tell me what's happened to Kyo-kun!"

Yuki related what Shigure had told him, omitting the severity of Kyo's injury and the amount of blood lost. Tohru listened intently to Yuki's explanation, but felt her stomach clench as she thought of how much Kyo must be suffering. She felt the tears returning.

"It's all my fault!" she cried, "If I hadn't been in that magazine, this never would have happened! I am putting all of you in danger." She dropped her head into her hands as her body shook with her sorrow.

Yuki had been expecting this, but that didn't make it any easier. Tohru always took too much upon herself. He put his arm around her and stroked her hair. "It's not your fault. You did nothing wrong. It's those Rising Star people. They should not have dragged you into this. You didn't want this. They should have left you alone."

Tohru leaned against Yuki as he tried his best to comfort her. She eventually gave into her exhaustion and fell asleep at his side. Yuki looked down at her sleeping form, and brushed a tear from her cheek. Under different circumstances he would have been thrilled to have her fall asleep in his arms. As it was, he felt terribly inadequate. How could he protect her if something like this happened again? What if it had been her that had been shot? What if she had been killed? These troubling thoughts filled his head as he too succumbed to fatigue.

oOoOo

"Ahem!"

"Ahem," he repeated, clearing his throat.

Tohru opened her eyes to see Harada's huge form looming above her. He glanced down next to her and she followed his gaze. "Oh!" she gasped as she realized she was leaning on Yuki, who slept slumped over the arm of the sofa. She jumped up quickly and stood back looking at him. She picked up the throw blanket that was draped over the back of the sofa and gently covered him.

"How is Miss Honda this morning?" Harada whispered in his gruff voice.

"Better, thank-you Harada-san," she replied. The events of the previous evening still weighed heavily upon her. "I know you don't like me to cook for you, but I would feel better if I kept busy. May I make you breakfast, please?"

Considering the circumstances, Harada thought it best to accept gracefully. "Yes, that would be very nice. Thank-you."

Tohru retreated to the bathroom to clean herself up before starting breakfast. Harada stepped out on the balcony to take a look around.

Yuki awoke to the pleasant smells emanating from the kitchen. He was more disoriented this morning than usual. He was not in his own bed, yet he could hear the sounds of Tohru making breakfast. He sat up and looked around, blinking. It came back to him suddenly. He was in Tohru's apartment. Kyo had been shot. It could have been Tohru. He glanced at the clock. It was not quite 7 AM. He was definitely out of sorts if he was up this early. He stood up and headed to the kitchen.

"Yuki, you're awake!" exclaimed Tohru in surprise. "Breakfast is nearly ready." She looked down at the pan on the stove and frowned. "I needed something to keep my mind off things." Turning off the burner, she felt ashamed. How could she think of something as mundane as breakfast when Kyo could be dying?

"I understand," said Yuki placing a hand on her shoulder. "It smells delicious. I'm sure we could all use some nourishment."

"Do you suppose…I mean…maybe could we…call Shigure?" Tohru asked hesitantly looking up at Yuki.

"We could try," offered Yuki pulling out his phone.

"Hello? You're up awfully early Yuki." commented Shigure. Tohru could hear his voice as she stood close to Yuki, listening in.

"Where are you?" asked Yuki.

"At the hospital," he replied. "It wasn't easy, but Hatori finally managed to get Kyo to transform back. I had to donate some blood because Kyo had lost so much. He'll be thrilled to find out he has dog blood running through his veins." Shigure chuckled at the thought. He couldn't wait to tell him.

Tohru turned pale at the talk of blood. Yuki pulled out a kitchen chair for her to sit down on. "Ask how he is now," she begged.

"How is he now?" Yuki repeated Tohru's words into the phone.

"Well, he was stable enough to move him here around 4 AM. Right now he is in surgery to remove the bullet. Hatori didn't dare try to do that back at his office. As long as he is under the anesthetic he should stay relaxed enough not to transform again. If you like, I can call you back when he is out and let you know how it went." A bit louder he added, "In the meantime, I am going to continue to keep these pretty young nurses company." Yuki heard giggling in the background.

"Fine," Yuki retorted. Couldn't that damn dog keep his mind out of the gutter just this once? "I'll be here with Tohru, just call when you know anything. Good-bye."

"Well?" asked Tohru anxiously, as she rose from the chair.

"He's in surgery right now."

"Surgery!" Her face went pale again and she sat back down.

"They are removing the bullet. It should be a fairly simple procedure." he reassured her. "Shigure will call when he comes out."

Tohru looked up at him with sad eyes. "Would it be possible, do you think, to go see him later?"

"It depends on his condition I suppose. He might not be allowed visitors. And I'm not sure we will be able to get away from here." Tohru's face fell. "But we could try," he added, and her spirits brightened.

"Oh no, breakfast is getting cold!" She jumped up and began placing dishes on the table. She couldn't bear to think of Kyo lying alone in the hospital. How could she just sit in the apartment all day doing nothing? She needed to stay busy. There were going to be three very well fed men in that apartment today.

oOoOo

After a leisurely breakfast, Yuki helped Tohru with the dishes. They worked quietly side by side. They had just finished when Sawatari swept into the room after a single knock on the door. 'How did he get a key?' thought Yuki, alarmed. Tohru, startled by the sudden intrusion, dropped the dish towel she had been holding.

"Good morning! How's my little Tohru-chan today? Feeling better?" Sawatari attempted to put an arm around her and give her a peck on the cheek, but just at that moment she ducked to pick up the towel. Finding himself kissing the air, Sawatari stopped short and stepped back, trying to shake off his embarrassment. "Well," he stated, changing the subject. "I bet you're anxious to hear about the crazy girl that caused all the trouble last night. Why don't we have a seat in the living room, shall we?" He placed a hand on Tohru's back and motioned toward the other room.

Yuki watched Sawatari usher her out of the room. Why did he let that man control her? Why couldn't he just stand up to him? He bowed his head, shamefully, and followed them into the living room.

Harada and Shido were already in the room. Sawatari led Tohru to the sofa and seated himself next to her, making sure not to leave room for Yuki. Yuki scowled at him and reluctantly took a seat across from them.

"I just spoke with the police a little while ago," Sawatari began. "Apparently the girl they apprehended has a history of mental instability. Ran with a bad crowd as well, from what I was told. A gang member," he nodded at Tohru knowingly. "Recently she had hooked up with some guy. Her family had hoped he would help her turn her life around. I guess it didn't work."

Tohru sighed, grateful that it had worked for her own mother. 'The poor girl,' Tohru sympathized. "So it wasn't a girl from my school?" Tohru asked, a bit relieved that the Prince Yuki fan club was not involved.

"No. Why? Did you think it was?" Sawatari continued without waiting for a reply, "Anyway, they brought the boyfriend in for questioning. He said he tried to help her, but she kept falling back on her old ways. They fought frequently. During their last fight, he admitted he flung a magazine at her. The one with our Tohru-chan on the cover. He said something about why couldn't she be more like Honda Tohru; a nice girl. That must have put her over the edge. She claims she did it to prove her love to him. I'm glad she didn't have better aim." he said, smiling down at Tohru. "It's a good thing they have a girl like that locked up."

Tohru was shocked by his callousness, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. This unfortunate girl had tried to change her life, like Kyoko and Uo, but now her life was even worse than before. All the girl needed was someone to believe in her, and now she had no one.

"It must be scary," commented Tohru, "to have no control over your own life. To lose your freedom, and be locked away." She thought of the girl in her cell, and Kyo's future confinement at Sohma house. It never once crossed her mind that she was also describing her own current situation.

They sat in awkward silence for a moment, before Yuki's cell phone rang. Shigure's name flashed on the screen. "Pardon me," he said as he stepped out on the balcony. Tohru wanted to follow him, but knew she would be prevented from going out there. Yuki slid the door closed behind him.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Yuki. I just thought I would call to give you a status report."

"And…?" Yuki queried expectantly.

"Oh, yes," he continued. "Kyo is out of surgery. Hatori says it went well. There is still a risk of infection, so he will be closely watched for a few days. He should make a full recovery, but he is a very lucky cat. I think he used up one of his nine lives this time. If Tohru hadn't called and alerted us to the situation, he might have used them all up."

"Tohru asked about the possibility of visiting him today," said Yuki. "If we can get her out of here that is. I don't think they will be inclined to let her leave the building."

"Well, Kyo is still asleep at the moment. I plan on staying with him until he awakens. They might allow him visitors later this afternoon. I am sure he would be pleased to see Tohru."

"Alright, I will call you later to see if we can arrange it. Good-bye, Shigure," Yuki hung up and went back inside to find a way of informing Tohru without alerting the others.

oOoOo

Kyo awoke. His vision was blurred, and he felt groggy. He forced his eyes to focus, and he looked around the room. He was in a bed, but it was not his own. This place was too white. Shigure sat slumped in a chair in the corner of the room, sleeping soundly. 'Where the hell am I?' he thought. Kyo tried to think how he had gotten here, but nothing came to him. What was the last thing he remembered? He was going to see Tohru. She wasn't home. The car arrived. The vision of Tohru falling to the ground flashed before him.

"Tohru!" he cried, sitting bolt upright. The sudden movement caused excruciating pain to course through his body like a jolt of electricity.

"Arrrgh!" he groaned, as he fell back on the bed and cringed.

Kyo's cries startled Shigure awake, and he jumped from his chair.

"Kyo!" Shigure smiled, "Welcome back!"

Kyo grabbed at Shigure's sleeve. "Tohru, where is she? What happened to her?" he growled with his teeth clenched.

"Calm down," coaxed Shigure, "You've been hurt. You're only going to make it worse. It takes awhile to recover from being shot."

"Shot! I wasn't shot!" Kyo argued in disbelief. "Tohru was the one that was shot! What happened to her?" he repeated.

"Relax, she's fine," Shigure promised as he reached over and pressed the call button. "Nothing happened to her."

"Then where is she?" Kyo protested vehemently. The adrenalin, now pumping through his veins, allowed him to ignore his pain as he tried to get up again. "You're lying to me! You just don't want me to know the truth!" he yelled.

"Please, be careful. You're going to pull out your stitches." Shigure struggled to keep the angry cat confined to his bed. He could already see a patch of red begin to soak through the white bandage on his shoulder.

"She's dead isn't she? I saw her lying there! She's dead!" Kyo screamed.

A surprised looking nurse poked her head into the room. "Get Sohma Hatori, and hurry please!" Shigure called after her. For someone who was near death not long ago, Kyo had an awful lot of strength. Shigure was not sure how much longer he would be able to restrain him. Fortunately, not long after, Hatori rushed into the room and injected something into Kyo's IV. The enraged cat's thrashing began to subside, until eventually they were able to lay him back on the bed in a contented stupor.

"What started that?" asked Hatori, looking down at Kyo's bloody bandage with a frown.

"Apparently he is under the impression that Tohru is dead," replied Shigure, straightening his borrowed yukata. His blood soaked one was back at Hatori's office.

"Dead? Why?" Hatori looked up at Shigure incredulously.

"He must have seen her on the ground after he heard the gunshots. I tried to convince him she was fine, but he wasn't listening. He wasn't even aware that he had been shot himself. I'm afraid he's done even more damage now." Shigure pointed down to Kyo's shoulder.

"Yes, I noticed," sighed Hatori. "I guess we will have to patch him up again. It might be best if we keep him sedated until we can get Tohru over here to prove that she is alright."

"That might not be easy," commented Shigure, "but if it's doctor's orders, we'll manage somehow."

oOoOo

Shigure pulled Hatori's car up in front of the building next to Tohru's apartment. There was still a crowd of fans and reporters in front of Tohru's building. The only difference now was there was also a police car and two officers standing outside the front door. Shigure shook his head and headed into the building.

"My sweet little flower!" Shigure sang as he entered the apartment. Tohru jumped up to greet him, hoping for more news of Kyo. Yuki had managed to convey what he had learned from Shigure's phone call, but she longed to know more. She wanted to see him herself.

"Grab your coat my dear," he announced. "We're going for a ride."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that Sohma-san." interrupted Harada.

"Yes, Sawatari-san left strict orders," added Shido. "Miz Honda is to remain safely at home today."

"Well," responded Shigure, "she may be your charge, but she is not your prisoner. You will just have to find a way to see that she remains safe while still being allowed to leave with me."

An hour later a car pulled up in front of the apartment building. Harada and Shido quickly escorted a hunched, hooded figure from the building to the waiting car, while the police officers did their best to keep the eager fans and nosey reporters at bay.

"Poor Yuki," whispered Tohru, as she and Shigure slipped unnoticed from the neighboring building and hurried to Hatori's car.

"He'll be just fine," chortled Shigure. "After all, this isn't the first time he's been seen in public wearing a dress. Don't worry, they'll meet up with us after they take those vultures on a little goose chase. Meanwhile, let's get you to the hospital. There is someone there who is very eager to see you."

oOoOo

Hatori stood outside Kyo's room as Shigure and Tohru approached.

"How's our little patient?" Shigure inquired when they reached Hatori.

"Still a bit out of it at the moment. He woke up earlier and threw a fit again. I had to give him another dose of tranquilizer. It should wear off shortly though." Hatori assured them.

"May I see him?" Tohru asked anxiously.

"I very much wish you would," replied Hatori. "Just don't expect too much out of him right away, and if he wakes, make sure he stays calm. We'll be right out here if you need anything." He pushed open the door and allowed her to enter.

Tohru slowly approached the bed in the dimly lit room. Kyo lay motionless, his arms atop the sheet that was pulled up to his middle. His chest was bare, except for the white bandage around his left shoulder. His ruffled orange hair was a stark contrast to the white pillowcase on which it lay. 'He looks so pale,' she thought. She felt tears pricking at her eyes.

She pulled the chair over to the side of the bed and sat down, facing him. She reached out with a tentative hand to stroke his arm. When she reached his hand, she gently picked it up in her own. She softly kissed the back of it and held it tenderly to her cheek. The tears started to roll.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes. "If it weren't for me, none of this would have happened. I didn't know what to do. I felt so helpless." She squeezed his hand tighter, and was surprised when he responded in kind. She looked up to see him gazing down at her.

"Tohru," he murmured, "is that really you?"

"Oh, Kyo! I was so worried," she cried, clasping his hand to her chest.

"But I saw you…you were on the ground… I thought you were dead!" Kyo blurted, working himself up again.

"I'm fine, Kyo. I'm okay," she assured him stroking his arm to calm him down. "Shido knocked me down to protect me. You were the one who was hurt. I found your clothes, and knew you had transformed. I didn't know what to do. I called Yuki, and they came and found you." The combination of her soothing voice and gentle touch served their purpose, and Kyo relaxed.

"What happened? I'm so confused," he confessed. Tohru recounted the events to the best of her knowledge. Shigure and Hatori would have to fill him in on what had happened while he was in their care. Kyo shuddered at the thought.

"Ahh, Florence Nightingale syndrome strikes again!" crooned Shigure entering the room. "The young nurse confesses her love for the injured soldier, and he responds out of gratitude for her loving care…Ouch!" Shigure rubbed the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"I was afraid if I didn't stop you, Kyo would have tried." Hatori explained. "I can't have my patient over-taxing himself now can I? He really should be resting. I'm afraid visiting time is over."

Tohru turned back to face Kyo. "Good-bye Kyo. I'll be back to visit when I can. Please get better. Make sure to do everything Hatori-san tells you to. Promise me?" pleaded Tohru.

"I promise." How could he refuse her. "I'm glad you came. I've missed you."

Tohru blushed and smiled down at him, "Me too."

Hatori held the door as Tohru and Shigure left the room. Yuki, back in his own clothes now, was waiting in the hall with Tohru's body guards. They were a reminder of her obligation to Rising Stars. The peace she had felt while talking with Kyo had vanished. She now had to return to that apartment, and her life as an idol. It was not what she wanted. She just wanted everything to go back to the way it was before. Living in Shigure's house, with them all together, and no one getting hurt.

She turned to Shigure. "I don't want to do this anymore. I want things to go back to normal. Look what happened to Kyo!" She waved a hand at his door. "He could have died, and it would have been my fault. I can't let this happen again." Harada and Shido looked at one another, a bit confused by what was going on.

"Shhh, it's okay my little flower," Shigure put an arm around her shoulder to console her. "We'll do what we can. I'll have the lawyers go over the contract again with a fine toothed comb. We will find a way to get you out of this, and until we do, we will all be here for you." He looked up at Hatori and Yuki who nodded their consent. "Let's get you home now, before you are spotted….again," he added. As they walked down the corridor, Shigure hoped he would be able to make good on his promises. He wanted things to return to normal as well.

oOoOo

**A/N: **I know that is really not much of an ending, but I have no idea how merrow plans to get Tohru out of the situation she got her into. I guess we will all just have to wait until that story ends and see what happens. Thank you for reading. Please review.


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